Burundians rush to leave Kenya ahead of crackdown on unregistered traders
Hundreds of Burundians in Kenya are scrambling to process travel documents to leave the country ahead of the crackdown on unlicensed small businesses run by migrants. Kenyan President William Ruto…
Around 16,000 Burundian refugees and asylum seekers reside in Kenya. Kenyan President William Ruto has set Monday as the deadline for foreigners operating small-scale businesses to cease work in the country. Kenya's trade ministry revealed that some migrants exploited visa rules to work without required permits. Long queues formed outside Burundi's embassy in Nairobi, as Burundians rushed to process travel documents and buy bus tickets to leave.
However, some Burundian residents expressed financial inability to afford travel costs and called for the Kenyan government to extend the deadline. Burundi's Foreign Affairs Minister Edouard Bizimana accused Kenya of fostering anti-Burundian sentiment and urged the Kenyan government to address it. Kenyan officials responded by clarifying that foreigners with proper documentation could continue their activities.
Despite this, concerns persist among Burundian traders about the potential regional impact of the crackdown.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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